Device for counting stamps



N0 M0 I W. A. OROOKETT & J. N. HA'TGHER.

DEVICE FOR COUNTING STAMPS.

No. 414,142. Patented Oct. 29, 1889.

abhor/mu UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VARREN AIIIQISEJ CROCKETT AND JUDSON NOELL HATCIIER, OF AMERICUS, MISSOURI.

DEVICE FOR' COUNTlNG STAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 414,142, dated October 29, 1889.

Application filed May 11, 1889- Serial No. 310,4l5- (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, W'ARREN ALLIsEN Onocxnrr and Jonson NoELL HATCHER, citizens of the United States, and residents of Amcricus, in the county of Montgomery and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Counting Stamps; and we do declare the following to be ai'ull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 .is a face or front view of our invention, and Fig. 2 is a similar view with the dial removed.

This invention relates to an improvement in devices especially adapted for keeping account of the sale of postage-stamps; and to this end the nature of the invention consists of the novel combination of parts and their construction, as will fully appear from the following description and accompanying illustration.

In carrying out our invention we employ a case or closure A, which is of metal, and with- .in it is arranged a metallic tooth-wheel or ratchet 13, whose shaft a is supported at one end in a central aperture in a bracket 0, secured to the inner side of the case or closure A, and near its other end in a metallic plate or dial C. The shaft a carries at one end a pointer or index 0, which registers with a series of graduations or marks cl circularly arranged upon the dial and in the present instance one hundred in. number, each representing the value of one cent. Consequently the consecutive numbers of one to one hundred are arranged or marked upon the dial opposite the aforesaid circularly-arranged series of marks (I. The tooth-wheel has the same number of teeth or notches as the number of graduations or marks on the dial--one hundredand is engaged by a lever D and a pawl D, the pawl proper D being pivoted in one end of the lever or bar portion D, which in turn is pivoted at one end in one corner of the casing or closure A upon the rear side of the dial or plate 0, and held by a spring D This pawl is held in engagement with the ratchet or wheel B by means of a spring e, suitably secured upon the back of the casing.

The lever I) and the pawl I) is kept from lateral displacement by a guide or stout wire f, suitably secured in place and arranged with that end in view. g is a spring-pressed lioldii'igpawl, also suitably secured to the dial-back and taking into the notches between the teeth of the ratchet or wheel 13 to prevent its return or reverse movement.

E E E E E" are keys which are proportionately graduated or increased in length,

certain intervals with consecutive figures on 7 5 the dial-face, as at h, indicating dollars. These pins are engaged by a shoulder upon the inner side of the pointer or index 0, said shoulder facing inward.

The slot E is of greater length than the slide G, to permit of the required movement of the latter.

It will be seen that when any one of the keys-as, for instance, key E-is moved or pressed inward an intermittent rotation will be imparted to the wheel or ratchet B, which will move or carry the pointer or index 0 forward to the next mark or graduation of the dial 0, the pointer or index thus traversing the entire face of the dial when the key has be en sufficiently actuated to produce a complete rotation of the wheel or ratchet B. This will indicate and register the fact that one hundred stamps have been disposed of. Si-

multaneously with the pointer or index 0 reg: 5

istering with the number one hundred the shoulder i will engage one of the pins or projections g of the slide G and move it forward, causing its pointer or index 9* to register with the dollar marking, and indicate 100 that one dollars worth of stamps has been sold. This operation can be repeated without resetting the slideG until the pointer or index 0 has engaged all of the pins g, when the slide G will have moved to or registered with the marking $5, indicating that five dollars worth of stamps have been disposed of. In'order to reset the device, the slide G is moved toward the opposite end of the slot and the pointer or index 0 moved to the number or graduation 100, the slide G then being moved forward to cause its pointer or index g co stand opposite the nought-mark, as at j. The further movement of the pointer or index 0 will carry the pointer or index 9 to the one-dollar mark. The aforesaid registration or actuation of the key E is resorted to, of course, in selling single one-cent stamps one atatiin e. In disposing of greater amounts, or a number of stamps at a time, the other keys are actuated, the particular ones used being governed according to circumstances,

( or pointer, of the pointer or index carried by a ratchet or tooth-wheel and having upon one side a shoulder engaging said pin or proupon by said keys, and a pawl engaging said ratchet or tooth-wheel, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the graduation or numbered plate or dial having the slide provided with a series of pins or projections arranged to project through a slot in said dial, which slot is of greater length than said slide, and a pointer or index, of the index or pointer carried by a ratchet or tooth-wheel and having a shoulder successively engaging said pins or projections of the slide, the grad uated keys, and mechanism for the actuation of said ratchet or wheel through said keys, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the graduated plate or dial, the slide arranged in a slot in said dial and carrying a series of pins or projections arranged to project through a slot in said dial, which slot is of greater length than 4 said slide, and a pointer or index, the ratchet or tooth-Wheel actuated by a lever-pawl and carrying an index or pointer having a shoulder successively engaging the pins of said slide, and the series of graduated keys of proportionately increased or graduated lengths and acting upon said lover and pawl, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses.

O IN F. BIBB, -BEN. L. :ZLADES. 

